"Students who acquire large debts putting themselves through school are unlikely to think about changing society. When you trap people in a system of debt . they can't afford the time to think. Tuition fee increases are a "disciplinary technique," and, by the time students graduate, they are not only loaded with debt, but have also internalized the "disciplinarian culture." This makes them efficient components of the consumer economy." -Noam Chomsky
3 weeks in.
I'm alive but barely breathing.
I never liked school, even though I was somehow good at it. High school was without a doubt the most stressful years of my life. It is alarming to see how much stress we are exposed to, at such a young age. How can we break the cycle? Pressure of making friends, performing well academically speaking, at work, and in sports or other activities, and on top of that, being targets of a media culture that keeps on bombarding us with ideals we are told to reach.
This world is awful, people are shit and selfish, and I don't care about being a loner and chilling with my god damn self. I don't need to force conversation. It's not natural and I don't care about the last gucci belt you got yourself. Tell me about the last time you didn't act out of self-interest. I'd like to hear that instead.
And you know what's the worst part?
Unlike courses, social media does not stop at the end of the school day. It follows us home and there's no escaping it.
So how the fuck can I strike a good balance?
How do I remind myself that I do not equate to a number written in red pen?
Why do schools don't teach us emotional skills and prepare us to face the real world in order to lead a happy and healthy life?
Sure they educate us, in a freaking destructive way I'll give you that.
It's a constant struggle to never give up when the odds are stacked against you. It's a cruel cycle, but it's what society claims we need to get that financial security. I truly hope that these twenty years of sitting in classrooms will make the next step be just a piece of cake compared to that. But hey let's be real here. Life does not get easier.
Countless nights in the library, another redbull, another coffee, another pill to keep me the fuck awake and focused. Memorize and understand every word you read. These piles of book are probably more than what my rent cost, read them anyway. Deadlines after deadlines, years of mental supression, keep your cool even though you're a half alive zombie. Suffering day in day out, combined with pain and frustration, you don't have the choice till you hit graduation.